3432

VETOES

Introduced: April 28, 1980
(Read and Adopted)

A RESOLUTION ENTITLED

RESOLUTION URGING VETO OF
H.B. 1678

City Council Resolution urging Governor Hughes to veto
H.B. 1678, the bill that decriminalizes alcoholic beverage
laws.

WHEREAS, H.B. 1678 was enacted in the final minutes of
the General Assembly Session, which calls for the
decriminalization of the Alcoholic Beverages Law, the
establishment of citation procedure and the imposing of
civil penalties;

WHEREAS, This bill passed so quickly that our
legislators did not fully realize the provisions of the
bill, or the impact it would have on Baltimore City;

WHEREAS, This bill will repeal our local public
drinking ordinances;

WHEREAS, This bill will severely hamper the ability of
Police to get intoxicated individuals off the street and out
of sporting events;

WHEREAS, The issuance of a citation for drunkenness
will encourage individuals to attempt to drive in that
condition and endanger the lives and property of other
citizens;

WHEREAS, Citations are impracticable in acquiring
accurate information from intoxicated juveniles and adults
who will no longer be able to be taken into custody;

WHEREAS, There are no provisions in this bill for
verifying information from a violator although the bill says
it is unlawful to give false information to a Police
Officer, there is no way for the Officer to know that such
information is false until long after the incident and the
offender will have successfully eluded a legal citation as
well as arrest;

WHEREAS, Citation procedures for those selling
alcoholic beverages to minors will make it easier for such
individuals to continue this unlawful practice;

WHEREAS, This bill in its present form is ambiguous and
impractical and will only compound our already serious
public drinking problem, especially among juveniles;

WHEREAS, There are questions about the